How many of you are like me and think grilled asparagus is a finger food vs. a side dish?
Back in the day, my intention when making grilled asparagus was to get those nice grill marks and then serve it right along with the chicken breasts or steak that I had grilled. My thinking was while the chicken/steaks rested for those few minutes, I could quickly throw the asparagus on the still hot grill and be done just in time to serve the meats.
MOOD MUSIC
I don't know bout you, but my grilled asparagus rarely makes the full trek from the grill to the kitchen. I lift those bad boys right off the grill and eat them on the way. I'm not alone as my kids' fingers are snatching them up before I can set the pan down on the counter. All I can do is watch them and SMILE, as I recall doing the same thing in my middle school days when my gramps would grill green onions.
INGREDIENTS for GRILLED ASPARAGUS
Simple recipe, few ingredients is what this one is all about.
- Asparagus
- Olive oil
- Lemon
- Salt - kosher or sea salt
- Pepper
- Grated Cheese - Parmesan or Cotija
GRILLING INSTRUCTIONS
Pre-heat your grill for high heat.
Trim the ends of the asparagus. Lightly coat the spears with olive. Season them with salt and pepper to taste.
Grill spears over high heat for 2-3 minutes, or to desired tenderness. Remove off the grill and drizzle with lemon juice.
COOKING CONSIDERATIONS AND TIPS
Nowadays, I just cook a large batch factoring in those spears lost in transit. I figure 6-8 will be consumed as finger food. The remainder I can serve as a side, so in reality, the grilled asparagus is both appetizer and side in the same meal.
Occasionally I will dress the sides portion up a lil bit. I keep it simple - just some good parmesan or Mexican cotija cheese with fresh lemon juice. Feel free to be as fancy or simple as you wish, but in my humble opinion grilled asparagus only needs oil and sea salt. The rest of the flavor comes from the caramelization and charring.
Don't leave the spears on the grill too long as they will wilt and lose their crunchiness. Keep in mind when you remove food off the grill it continues to cook a few minutes on its own.
If you don't have an outdoor grill or prefer not to go outside, use an indoor stovetop grill pan. Several brands make cast-iron versions with ridges and they work great.
Grilled Asparagus Meal Planning and Cooking Tips
- Choose firm, crisp stalks with tight
- Try to buy as local as possible. Visit your local farmers' market or read the labels fixed to your bunch. The labels typically have point of origin info; the lesser the travel distance the better.
- Choose fatter spears for grilling. They stand up well to high heat and allow you to get that important exterior caramelization while also maintaining its crisp sweetness.
- Toss the asparagus in oil before grilling to make sure that they don't dry out on the grill and get all shriveled and rubbery
Grilled Asparagus Health Benefits
Asparagus is considered one of many superfoods. It's loaded with fiber and is a great source for several different vitamins and minerals. For more information regarding its health benefits see this link for "10 Reasons You Should Eat More Asparagus."
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Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus trimmed
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 lemon
- Parmesan or Cotija cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat grill for high heat.
- Lightly coat the asparagus spears with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Grill over high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or to desired tenderness. Drizzle with lemon juice.
Notes
- Choose firm, crisp stalks with tight
- Try to buy as local as possible. Visit your local farmers' market or read the labels fixed to your bunch. The labels typically have point of origin info; the lesser the travel distance the better.
- Choose fatter spears for grilling. They stand up well to high heat and allow you to get that important exterior caramelization while also maintaining its crisp sweetness.
- Toss the asparagus in oil before grilling to make sure that they don't dry out on the grill and get all shriveled and rubbery